community in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in St. James, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in summer (74th percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. James?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: May 16 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. James, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Feb 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 121 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NW, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around St. James
Mostly: Open water; Mississippi River Bottomland Depression; Sugarcane.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How St. James ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 71st | 21st | 24th |
| Louisiana | 60th | 50th | 74th | 45th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 14th | 27th | 22nd | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around St. James: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Convent 2 mi · Welcome 3 mi · Romeville 4 mi · Moonshine 4 mi · Hester 5 mi · Union 5 mi
All towns in Louisiana · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of St. James (30.0186, -90.8509); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.